COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Meeting Jack Nicklaus, shaking hands with some of the world’s best golfers and drinking a Muirfield milkshake. Sounds like an amazing day for anyone, but especially a kid.

And on Wednesday, May 31, eight lucky kids will do that at the Memorial Tournament, and all are deserving of the title “Golden Cub”.

Perry Hausfeld may look and act like your normal 7-year-old boy, but life has been anything but normal for him since June 2021.

“It’s been a long two years, and it’ll be about 2 and a half years by the time he’s done. He’s gone through so many hard things that even us adults haven’t even been through at this point in our lives so the fact that he’s handled it and done it with such grace just makes me so proud,” said Perry’s mother, Brittny Hausfeld.

Two years ago, Perry was diagnosed with B-Cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He spent 10 days at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and soon after diagnosis, he began chemotherapy through a port in his chest.

“He was really sick. I mean, not only was he really sick internally and super depleted from the chemo he was getting, but he looked sick,” said Brittny. “He didn’t have his hair, he looked really pale and he just didn’t have a lot of energy.”

Thankfully, these days, Perry is in the maintenance phase of his treatment. He’s still taking medicine and having monthly doctor visits, but he was allowed to go back to school, can play with friends and just be a kid again.

“Part of me will forget. Sometimes, I’m just like, he’s a normal kid. He’s going to first grade and he’s playing with friends, and he’s involved in so much,” said Brittny.

And before he rings the bell in August, marking the end of his treatment, he first gets to be a star for a day at the Memorial, as a Golden Cub.

“We have learned to celebrate all the small wins, but this is a pretty big one for us,” said Brittny. “He’s been to the Memorial Tournament every single year of his life, except for COVID, and so for this to take it to the next level is really exciting for us as a family for us to just watch and celebrate him.”

Perry and the other seven Golden Cubs who were all selected because of their strong, positive outlook that inspires all of us. To learn more about each one of them, head to https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/giving/meet-our-partners/national-partnerships/the-memorial-tournament/golden-cubs